Car reviews

Introduction

The Proton GEN-2 is a good looking five-door hatchback with a smart interior and it can be picked up for a reasonable rate on the used car market. The interior doesn’t live up to its exterior design feeling brittle and plastic parts are known to break off easily. The engines are unrefined and noisy, even the 1.6-litre unit that was built by Lotus. The handling overall just doesn’t compare to the likes of the Ford Focus and Vauxhall Astra.

Exterior & Interior

The Proton Gen-2 is a good-looking hatchback with the interior appearing to be just as smart. There is room in the back for two adults or three children to sit comfortably with plenty of legroom, however, taller passengers might find the headroom lacking due to the GEN -2’s sloping roof. The seats are all very comfortable and just supportive enough to make longer journeys bearable. The boot is considerably larger than in some of its rivals such as the Vauxhall Astra, but the high boot lip can make the loading and unloading heavier items fiddly. The glove box is missing, but there is a large central storage box instead, which doubles as an armrest. The interior might look smart, but the build quality is poor and the controls on the central console are hard to use especially when driving.

There is only one trim level available with the 1.3-litre version, but it does come with plenty of kit including ABS, two airbags, air-con, CD stereo alloys and electric windows. The 1.6-litre model comes with the GSX trim that adds climate and cruise control, heated and electric mirrors, electric windows all round and side airbags.

Drive

The 1.6-litre engine may have been developed with the help of Lotus and it’s a pity that nothing else was. The drive is dull and uninspiring with the steering feeling vague and lacking sensation. The cornering is far from good and there is an excessive amount of wind, road and engine noise in the cabin. Visibility is also restricted due to the small side mirrors increasing the car’s blind spots, which can be annoying when changing lanes. At least it comes with parking sensors as standard – making parking easier.

Faults & Repairs

The Proton GEN-2 isn’t the most reliable of cars and has had a recall due to problems with the battery harness, so make sure that the work has been carried out. Other areas to check are the electrics, such as the windows and air-con and the interior trim that can breaks and falls off easily. Make sure that the gearbox works smoothly and that the clutch doesn’t slip too.

Another negative point is the servicing costs that are more costly than that of similar German cars due to it needing to be serviced every 9,000 miles or every year compared to the average 12,000-mile service intervals.